Steam installation for pressing appliances



F. J. CLARK I STEAM INSTALLATION FOR PRESSING` APPLIANCES June 18,2,205,241

Filed Oct; 23. 1936 .ATTORNEYS I l l rofwm. y.

Patented June 18, 1940 STEAM INSTALLATION FOR, PRESSING APPLIANCESFrederick J. Clark, Buffalo, N. Y.,`assignor to Eastman Machine Company,Buffalo, N.A Y.

. Application October Z3, 1936, Serial No. 107,213

` 'z yclaims. (ci. ss-'m This invention relates toA improvements inpressing apparatus of that kind in which a pressing iron or appliance isemployed equipped with means whereby steam may be discharged undercontrol, as through perlorations in the pressing face of the iron, forthe purpose of moistening the goods being pressed, or improving thequality of the work.

Steam pressing irons of this sort are usually heated by means of anelectric or other heating element in or on the iron, and they are quitecommonly constructed so that the steam which is delivered to the ironfrom a boiler or other source of supply, is superheated or dried by saidheating element before the steam is discharged from the iron, `in orderto prevent moist steam or condensation from being discharged on thework, and thus possibly injuring or objectionably kmoistening the goodsbeing pressed.

Control means are provided for shutting off or preventing the dischargeof the steam when it is not needed in the pressing of the goods or whenthe iron is not being used, and for discharging the steam and regulatingVthe quantity dis- 26 charged, as may be necessary, depending upon thecharacter of the Work or of the material being pressed. Insome irons,the steam control valve or device is arranged on or adjacent to theiron, but a serious objection to such arrange- 30 ment of the controlvalve is that whenit is closed to prevent discharge of steam,condensation may occur in the flexiblel hose or connections which supplythe steam to the iron, and it frequently happens when the valve isopened to discharge steam, that the steam superheating means of the ironis not adequate to convertthis water of condensation into dry steam sothat some Water or moisture is.discharged from the iron with the result,in many instances, of

'40 spotting or injuring the goods being pressed.

Attempts have been made to overcome this objection, by providing steamsupply installations for such steam pressing irons in which the valve ordevice for controlling the discharge of steam not been entirelysatisfactory becausethe con- 55 structions or relative arrangements ofthe control devices and the steam supply pipes have been such as to formpockets r places in which condensation can collect, with the resultthat, particularly when the iron is used after it has been standing idlefor awhile, this condensation 5 will be blown out by the steam anddischarged on the goods being pressed..

The objects of my invention are to provide a steam supply installationwith control means forsteam discharge pressing appliances which is of 10a novel construction and arrangement adapted to rcliab-ly preventharmful or objectionable discharge of condensation or moisture from theappliance; in which the control device and the steam supply connectionsare constructed and 15 arranged so as to eliminate pockets or places inwhich condensed steam can collect so as to be blown or to pass vto thepressing appliance when the control device is operated to dischargesteam from the pressing appliance; and also to improve 20 steaminstallations for steam discharge, pressing appliances in theparticulars hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is an elevation of a pressing apparatus 25 provided withl steamsupply means embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the control device, enlarged, on line2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation or the same on 30 line 3-3,Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating a pressing ironof a type used in appai'atus embodying the invention.

I0 represents the steam discharge pressing 35 iron of the apparatus.This invention is Anot concerned With any particular construction of thepressing iron or appliance, which may be a portable hand iron or otherpressing appliance of usual or any suitable construction adapted for 40pressing purposes and to discharge steam under control during thepressing operation. As illustrated in Fig. 4, the iron is provided withan electrical heating element II to which electric current is conductedthrough the usual exiblc cord or cable I2, and the pressing face of theiron is provided with perforationsl I3 through which steam may bedischarged to the goods` being pressed.l The steam may be supplied tothe iron through the usual exible hose or pipe I4 and, as shown, theiron is constructed with one or more passages or chambers I5 with whichthe hose I4 communicates and which are arranged so that steam passingtherethrough to the discharge perforations I3, is superheated or driedby'heat from the heating element II. The passage or passages I5 maycommunicate by one or more passages I6 with the discharge perforationsI3.

5 The hose or pipe I4 extends downwardly to the pressing iron from anoverhead control device 20 to which steam is supplied through anascending pipe 2|. 'I'his pipe 2| extends upwardly from a steam andcondensation separator 22 interposed l,between the lower end of the pipe2| and a steam supply main 23. The steam passes' from the supply main23, through the separator 22 to the pipe 2I, and this separator may beof usual or any suitable construction adapted to separate condensationfrom the steam and 4permit the condensation to drain 01T through a steamreturn or drain pipe 24 leading from the bottom of the separator.

The control device 2|) preferably comprises a steam cutoff valve, and aregulating valve for regulating the volume of steam which is deliveredto the iron for discharge when the cutoff valve is opened. As shown,these two valves are constructed with a single or common valve body 2525 which is secured on the upper end of the ascending steam pipe 2|, asby screwing the threaded upper end of the pipe into a threaded socket 2Bin the valve body. An inlet passage 21 leads upwardly from this socketinto a valve chamber 28, in which the movable member 28 of the cutoffvalve is located. This member is provided with a suitable valve washeror disk adapted to seat upwardly against and form a stern-tight jointwith a valve seat '38 at the upper portion of the chamber 28. The valvedisk is normally closed or seated by a suitable spring 3| which,

as shown, surrounds the reduced lower portion ofthe valve member, withina hollow screw cap or plug 32 closing the lower end of the valve chamber40 28. The cutoff valve has an operating stem 33 extending out of thevalve body through .a packing gland 34 for actuation by suitable valveoperating means.

The regulatingvalve shown is disposed between the cutoff valve and thedescending hose I4 leading from the control device to the pressing iron,and regulates the flow of steam through a passage 35 in the valve bodyleading from the valve chamber 28 to a nipple or fitting I4a to whichthe hose I4 is connected. The passage 35 shown is of angle form having alateral inlet portion connected with the valve chamber 28 above thevalve seat 30, and a downwardly e'xtending discharge portion. Theregulating valve shown is in the form of a screw needle Avalvecomprising a valve rod 38 having a screw threaded p engagement 31 in abonnet or fitting on the valve lbody 25 and having a hand wheel 38 atits outer end for turning the valve rod to move its conical inner endtoward and from a conical seat 39 in the valve body. By appropriateadjustment of this valve, it may be closed against its seat or setrelatively thereto to regulate, as desired, the flow of steam to theiron'. In the use of the apparatus, this regulating valve is set topredetermine the Vdesired volume of steam to be supplied to the pressingiron for discharge, and is left in this adjustment during the use of theiron, the steam beingturned on to discharge from the iron and shut offto stop the discharge as desired, by opening and closing the controlvalve 28, which may be opened and closed by suitable operating means.Any suitable operating means for the control valve 28 may be employed,that shown comprising a lever 48 which is pivoted on a bracket 4|ascending pipe 2|.

fixed on the valve body 25, and is adapted to engage. the outer end ofthe valve stem 33. The lever 40 is connected, as by a rod 42 to a lever43 which is pivoted on the separator 22, or other suitable support, andis connected, as by a wire 44, to the rock arm of a treadle 45, which issuitably located for operation by the foot of the operator using thepressing iron. A spring 46 connectedto the lever 43 normally'holds thelever 48 out of engagementwith the valve stem 33. By depressing thetreadle, the lever 40 is swung to press the stem 33 inwardly and openthe control valve 28 against the action of its closing spring 3|. Steamis thus delivered to the pressing iron for discharge to the work, andthe steam will discharge as long as the valve is held open by depressionof the treadle. Upon releasing the treadle, the control valve will beclosed by its spring 3| and shut ofi the steam to prevent its dischargefrom the iron.

It will be noted that the control device 20, comprising the control andregulating valves, is located at the highest poi 1t of the steam conduitformed by the ascending pipe 2| and the descend' ing hose |4, throughwhich the steam passes from the separator 22 to the pressing iron; thatthe pipe 2| extends in an uninterrupted descending direction from thevalve body 25 to the separator, and that the exible hose or connections|4 from the control device to the pressing iron also extends in anuninterrupted descending direction from the valve body 25 to thepressing iron, so that there is no horizontal or ascending portion inthe conduit on either the inlet or outlet side of the control device inwhich steam condensation could collect. Therefore, when the cutoff valve28 is closed, any condensation occuring in the conduit at the inlet sideof the valve can immediately drain backthrough the pipe 2| into theseparator where it will be separated from the steam and discharged, andany steam in the flexible hose or conduit at the outlet side of thecutoff valve will discharge through the hose and pressing iron so as toprevent the formation of condensation in the hose or conduit beyond thecontrol device. Furthermore, it will be noted Athat the passage 35 inthe valve body extends in a descending direction from the regulatingvalve 36 to its connection with the hose |4, and they seat 30 for thecutoi valve :is located above the inlet passage 21 of the valve bodyconnecting the valve chamber 28 with the upper end of the Thus, the onlyportion lol' the steam conduit between the separator 22 and the pressingiron which is located at an elevation above the. seat 38 of the cutoivalve and in which condensation could collect, is the small, upper endportion of the chamber 28 and the short inlet portion of the passage 35in the valve body, and these parts are so small that any condensationthatmig'ht be blown therefrom to the pressing iron bythe steam when thevalve is again' opened after the steam has been shut ofi, would be ofsuch minute volume that it would be thoroughly vaporized in the steamsuperheating'or drying chamber of the ron. By 'fixing-the valve body 25at the inclination shown in Fig. 2, even the lateral inlet portion ofthe passage-35 inclines downwardly from the valve chambery, therebypreventing condensation from accirnulating in t s passage. Anypossibility of condensed steam being discharged from the iron is thuseffectually prevented. I claim as my invention:

1. Steam supply and discharge control means asoman 1 for dischargingsteam free from condensate from a pressing or analogous applianceconstructed for the discharge of steam therefrom, comprising a controldevice distant from and above said appliance for controlling thedischarge of steam Y for ydischarging steam free from condensate fromtrol device, whereby condensate is prevented from i collecting in saidpipes at either side of said control device.

3. Steam supply and discharge control means for discharging steam. freefrom condensate from a pressing or analogous appliance constructed forthe discharge of steam therefrom, comprising a valve distant from saidappliance for controlling the discharge of steam from the appliance,

a steam supply pipe from a source of steam distant from said applianceascending to said control valve, and a pipe descending from said controlvalve to the appliance, saidcontrol valve having a valve chamberconnecting with said pipes and forming therewith a steam supply conduitfor the applianceand cooperating'members in and controlling the passageof steamthrough said valve chamber, said conduit extending in anuninterrupted descent from portions of said valve chamber in immediateproximity to both the inlet and outlet sides of said cooperating membersin the -valve chamber whereby condensate is prevented from collecting insaid conduit at either-side of said valve.

4. Steam supply and discharge control means vfor discharging steam freefrom condensate from a pressing or analogous appliance constructed forthe discharge of steam therefrom and havl ing means for heating thesteam prior to its discharge, comprising a valve distant from theappliance for controlling the` discharge of steam from the appliance, acondensation separator, a steam supply pipe ascending from saidseparator to said control valve, and a exible pipe descending from. saidcontrol valve to the appliance, said control valve having a valve membermovable in a valve chamber connecting with said pipes and formingtherewith a steam supply conduit for the appliance, said conduitextending in an uninterrupted descent directlyfrom portions of saidvalve chamber in immediate proximity to both the inlet and outlet sidesof said movable member in the valve chamber', thereby eliminating anypockets in said conduit at either side of said valve member in whichcondensate can collect.

5. Steam supply and discharge control means for discharging steam. freefrom condensate from a pressing or analogous appliance constructed forthe discharge of steam therefrom and with means for heating the steam,comprising a control device distant from the appliance for controllingvthe dischargeof steam from the appliance, a steam supply-pipe ascendingto said control device, and a flexible pipe descending from said controldevice to the appliance, said control device comprising a cuto valve anda regulating valve having a single valve body, one of said pipesextending in an uninterrupted descent directly from said cutoii valveand said other pipe extending in an uninterrupted descent directly meansfor heating the steam prior to its dis-4 charge, comprising a valvedistant from the appliance for controlling the discharge of steam fromthe appliance, a condensation separator, a

steam supply pipe ascending from said separator to said control valve,and a flexible pipe descending from said control valve to the apsaidvalve chamber connecting with said pipes and forming therewith a steamsupply conduit from the separator to the appliance, and said conduitextending in an uninterrupted `descent directly from portions of saidvalve chamber in immediate proximity to both the inlet and outlet sidesof said stationary member in the valve chamber, whereby the formation ofany pocket in said conduit at either side of said stationary valvemember in which condensate can collect and discharge into the conduit iseliminated.

7. Steam supply and discharge control means for discharging steam freefrom condensate from a pressing or analogous appliance constructed forthe discharge of steam therefrom and having means for heating the steamprior to'its discharge, comprising a cut-olf valve distant from theappliance for controlling the discharge oi steam from the appliance, acondensation separator, a steam supply pipe ascending from saidseparator to said valve, and a flexible pipe descending from said valveto the appliance, said cut-oi! valve having a valve member movablerelatively to a stationary member in a valve chamber to open and closethe valve, said valve chamber connecting with saidpipesy and formingtherewith a. steam supplyconduit from the separator to the appliance;which conduit extends inan uninterrupted descent directly from saidvalve chamber in immediate proximity to both the inlet and outlet sidesof said stationary valve member, whereby the formation of any pocket insaid conduit at either side of said stationary valve member in whichcondensate can collect and discharge into the'conduit isvprevented, anda regulating valve controlling said descending conduit between thecut-od valve andthe appliance.

J. CLARK

